Drone company endorsement shows potential for tech epicentre in Europe

FOUNDER of Manna Drone Delivery Bobby Healy, has joined the 2021 Rising Stars cohort – a list by Founders forum and Silicon Valley Bank spotlighting the top ten companies with world-changing potential.

Every year, Founders Forum taps into its network of investors and other companies to search for ambitious teams using tech to inspire problem-solving solutions.

Previous rising stars include dating app Bumble and music identification software Shazam. Rathfarnham resident Healy’s company Manna Drones recently raised €25m in a series A investment.

Manna Drones were recently issued the first ‘light UAS operator certificate’ (LUC) by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), following trials of drone delivery services in rural Ireland locations Oranmore and Moneygall.

Their successful application follows a rigorous assessment of their operational capabilities in line with the new EU drone regulations, which came into force at the start of the year.

The LUC is recognised in all EU Member States and provides drone operators with significant business opportunities across the single market.

Manna Drones offer a three-minute air delivery service for a range of sectors including food, medicine or any other needs.

They recently partnered with Samsung Electronics in a move that will see drone delivery made available to Irish customers purchasing Galaxy devices.

Speaking about the LUC certification, Healy, said it signalled a “strong endorsement for Manna, the nascent European Drone Delivery Industry, and Ireland as a tech-epicentre for drone technology”.

Commercial semi-state body the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is currently undergoing a structural change, whereby the Air Navigation Service Provider will be separated into a new corporate entity and the Commission for Aviation Regulation will be dissolved and its functions merged with the IAA.